[Differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma using laser DNA-cytofluorometry]

Because of insufficient amount of material obtained in many cases of puncture biopsy, Differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with benign tumors and focal cirrhotic lesions of the liver is difficult. The study was aimed at development of additional criteria for HCC differential diagnosis of the basis of a comparison of morphological data (histological and cytological) with DNA content in the cells of focal lesion of the liver and is based on the research of biopsy material from 111 patients with focal liver lesions. Laser DNA flow cytometry (DNA-FCM) was carried out in 59 samples using laser flowing cytometer FACScan (Becton Dickinson, USA). The complex of three HCC histological criteria was established (trabecular histoarchitecture, increased nuclear-cytoplasmatic rate and nuclear crowding) for comparison with puncture biopsy of the liver (diagnostic efficiency 93.7%). Optimal quantitative parameters for HCC diagnosis were the following: reduction of the number of cells in a GO/1 phase of the cell cycle (< 77.5%), appearance of aneuploid clone of cell DNA index > 1.0 and decreased percent of binucleated cells (< 10%). Very high diagnostic specificity of the research was found (98.3%). Usage of quantitative parameters in the complex with histological criteria of HCC increased efficiency of the diagnosis up to 98%.